Breath Control
by Dianasaur
Summary: Stingy is crazy. Trixie is abused. Ziggy is depressed. Stephanie is lovesick. Pixel is missing. And Mayor Milford and Bessie are holding a secret that will change the kid's lives forever! ...If it doesn't kill them first...
1. Master and Servant

Sometimes... when she lay in bed next to him at night she really did believe she **hated** him.

Trixie had been with Stingy for as long as she could remember. It was an innocent crush when they were kids. Charming, really, a strange romantic alteration of the prince and the popper. Trixie couldn't help liking his stubborn attitude, and his cute way of sticking up his nose. She liked to threaten his self-proclaimed authority. It was a challenge that she was all too willing to take. She didn't know that it would end up like this. That she would just be another conquest for Stingy... another piece of property that he could lay his claim upon.

At first, she didn't mind it. They were already so set in their ways. The two of them only acting like lovers under the shadows, and in the daylight they threatened eachother's power. It was exhilarating. It was sexually seductive to lie so smoothly with twisting tounges and fabricated stories. It was sexually destructive. It was what they did best. This way she would never have to tell him that she loved him, and he would never pin her down by telling her that he loved her. Trixie would be trapped if he said so. She would be his forever. She would truly be owned by him.

But now there wasn't that spark. It was a routine of domination and submission. Of secrets and lies so perfectly constructed that the truth was often hard to recognize. Trixie was getting bored. She stayed for the perks, though. She stayed because being his pet had it's luxuries. She stayed because he had money. Trixie felt like a two dollar whore at a discount store.

He gave her security. She accepted the fact that she needed that security to make it through.

But in the darkness when he was sleeping away... Trixie dropped her act and scowled. She looked at him, hovered over him, and imagined choking him to death. She imagined stealing his confidence and every dollar to his name. She imagined proving that in the end there was no one who could own her. There was no one who could tame her.

_A two dollar whore will always be a two dollar whore.  
Even if they wore expensive clothes._

Trixie slid out of bed, and carried herself to the large, spotless bathroom to wash her sins away. She closed her eyes, sliding her fingers through her waist-length black hair as the hot water masked her flesh.

She was a pretty girl, now. Her reflection was flattering. A tight body, tanned skin, exotic asian features, and women's curves making her as attention-grabbing as Stephanie Meanswell. A sigh slipping from her full lips at the name which had crossed her thoughts. It had been such a long time since she'd had a proper conversation with the pink haired girl from her past. Or anyone, really. Stingy controlled her life now. He had managed to focus all of her attention on him and what he wanted. "I haven't even touched my skateboard in ages..." Trixie whispered, as she shut off the shower.

With a smile, Trixie dressed and snuck out of the mansion with a worn, dusty skateboard under her arm.


	2. Friends Forever

Trixie skateboarded lazily towards the old playing field. She abandoned her board at the edge of the grass, and walked forwards towards the blackened trees. The air was so sleek - cold with the hint of morning dew - and stagnant. It crawled around your bones and radiated through your flesh. Trixie releasing a breath from between her lips as she pulled her coat closer, and zipped it up. She wished, momentarily, that she hadn't cut the fingers off of all of her gloves. Her pink-tipped, rigid fingers, surely didn't appreciate her gesture of careless indifference.

Even so, she was a stubborn girl. Her boot-clad feet continued on through the dark, unkept grass only stopping when they reached the swingset. The blue plastic seat was still there hanging from the persistant chain link. It was just how she remembered from her childhood... only smaller. Trixie managed a smile as she tugged on the chain, before plopping happily in the seat. She closed her eyes, thrusting her head back as she tried to transport herself to the past. The cold breeze was the only thing to greet her. Trixie finally giving up on her attempt at magic to begin to swing more earnestly.

It reminded her of so many childhood memories. The dark sky breaking away into the sunlight of the afternoon in her mind's eye. It was warm, like every summer in Lazy Town. The colors were vivid and strong. The yellow of the brick wall. The blue of the sky. The brown of the bark of the treehouse. The pink of Stephanie's hair. The blue of Sportacus' suit. The red of Ziggy's cape...

Pixel's electronic devices. Stingy's bow tie. Ziggy's lollipop. Stephanie's plastic bracelets. Sportacus' stupid hat... It all came rushing back to her until she could almost hear the cheer of children's voices brushing against her ear. She felt the vibration of their sneakers pushing hard against the ground as they ran, as they played. They were free of any real worries or concerns. The only frown to grace their faces over silly disputes and scraped knees. They had a hero, then. There was security.

But then the cold came rushing back like a slap to the face. Trixie leaned over, covering her face as she tried to contain the tears that were coming so unexpectedly. "This is so stupid." She whispered.

"No," A male voice from behind her spoke. "What is though is you being out when it is so cold outside!" Trixie froze, before sitting up and glancing back with wide brown eyes. She was hypnotised by that flash of blond hair and blue eyes immediately.

"S-sorry, Sportacus, I-" The man laughed, kneeling with his hands on his knees at the assumption. It was only then that she saw the brief hint of freckles across his rosy cheeks, and his slightly rounder face. He was also shorter than Sportacus. Trixie quickly felt foolish as she took in her view of the man.

He was dressed casually in a blue zip-up sports jacket with a big yellow Z on the chest with red wrist and waist cuffs. There was a hint of a white t-shirt peeking out from under the jacket. Red pants with lots of pockets and straps criss-crossing in the back that lead into blue converse sneakers. "Ziggy?" She muttered, not sure if she should smile or not. Trixie hadn't seen him in years - he'd grown up so much!

"Mmhm." He smiled at her, that same goofy smile of his. "You have such long hair now." Ziggy commented as he removed his red scarf from around his neck. He looped it around her shoulders, still leaning over to be eye to eye with her. Trixie blushed, bowing her head. Her black hair covering most of her face from view... She was suddenly shy, caught off guard like this. "Why are you out in the cold?" Ziggy asked.

Trixie looked up, "I-I wanted to take a walk! I miss..." She hesitated, before shaking her head. Ziggy looked at her a bit sadly, before he slid his blue beanie hat over her black hair.

"Friends forever." He smiled warmly, before taking her hand to pull her to her feet. "I'll make you some hot coco back at my place before you get a cold. We should catch up on the last few years." Trixie looked uncomfortable, so he flashed his classic grin. "I'm seventeen now!" Ziggy cheered.

The Asian girl giggled into her free hand. "Congratulations." She said cheerfully, before relaxing enough to give him a farmiliar look of sass with a hand on her cocked hip. "But I'm still older than you by two years!" He almost looked disappointed and sad at the comment.

"Yeah," He huffed quietly. "I know." Ziggy paused a moment, before the two of them started laughing. It was strange to be with her. He hadn't seen her since she was sixteen, and even then rarely. Trixie had somehow managed to maintain a "cool" distance from her childhood friends in highschool years. Everyone had gone there seperate ways, really. Of course, they were all polite to eachother. They recognized the past, but most viewed it as just that... the past.

Now the athletic, tomboyish, troublemaking, free spirit was nineteen years old. She seemed kinder and definately more feminine - but still with that edgy side of danger that was so attractive in a woman. Ziggy had forgotten he'd missed her, but here she was to prove that he did. The girl who had scared him, threatened him, stolen candy from him... and who saved his life when he was ready to die from loneliness out in the cold...

...the night of his seventeeth birthday.


	3. Lonely Winter

Trixie smiled as she sat down on Ziggy's couch. His house was big, but not gigantic. It was also clean, but not pristine. It had pictures on the walls of family members over the years, and not paintings done by people he didn't know. It was a _**home**_...one that she imagined had seen a lot of diapers, christmas presents, and laughter. It made her feel warm inside. It wasn't anything at all like Stingy's cold, superficial mansion or her lifeless, dreary trailer. It had so much potential to be the setting of happy memories. She wondered if she would have ever been capable of being as kind and gentle as Ziggy if she'd grown up in a place like this.

Trixie returned her gaze to the blond who was removing his jacket, and putting it up in the closet near the doorway. Ziggy wearing just a plain white t-shirt underneath that was loose, but snug enough to show off his firm form. The years of exercising and idolizing Sportacus had obviously come to hold it's rewards. "Do you want to take off your coat?" He asked, turning to face her. A smile gracing his face when he saw hers. She hadn't even known that she was smiling as wide as that until then.

Trixie paused, looking down for a moment. "Oh! Uh, no. I'm fine." She awkwardly tugged on the red beanie he'd given her, pulling it down further as if it could conceal the embarressment she suddenly felt. "Just go make me my coco now, 'kay? It is rude to make a guest wait!" The words were intended to be demanding like she use to be, but her tone gave her away. She couldn't be mean to him sincerely. Not tonight. Ziggy chuckled at her attempt, offering a small sweeping bow.

"Of course, my lady." He headed for the kitchen door, pausing momentarily. Ziggy looked over his shoulder as she sat there with her back facing him. He watched as her fingers slid through her long black hair, and her legs crossed. Smiling, Ziggy shook his head and disappeared into the kitchen.

He had always known that inside she was a truly good person, but now it was easier to see. It made him happy. He'd been so lonely lately that he couldn't help hoping that they'd be close friends again. It was a stupid thought, Ziggy reminded himself. He shouldn't think that Trixie meant anything so long-term by this night, alone. Sighing, Ziggy started on his task. The kitchen was suddenly quiet like all the nights before, and the frown was evident on his face again. He lost himself in horrible memories.

"Z?" Trixie called quietly from the doorway. "Do you need any help?"

Ziggy looked over his shoulder at her. "No, I'm ok." He said with a tone that was a little numb and empty. From her perspective, it almost sounded cold.

"Oh... alright, well..." She turned to leave with disappointment written on her features, but before she could go Ziggy had taken her hand from behind. He smiled slightly when he found that her hands were so warm. His hands always seemed to be cold.

"How have you been?" Ziggy asked smoothly. He didn't want to be alone. Not tonight. He needed her voice to block out the silence. Trixie turned with her eyes sparkling with delight, as she masked his hand inbetween both of hers. Her smile was like an explosion of warmth - even with it's hint of fangs and the snake's tounge which slipped over her teeth. There was something magical about her when she was so honest with herself... when she was so honest infront of him. He'd never seen her smile like that since they were young, young kids. It was almost like being born again. He wondered if she knew that she could effect people like that. He wondered what she would say if he told her so.

"I still haven't managed to rule the world. Yet." Trixie suddenly said after a moment of hesitation, dropping his hands to stuff her own in her coat pockets with a pitiable expression of misery, and Ziggy burst out laughing in surprise.

"Really? I figured you would with Stingy on your side." He immediately regretted saying that. Once the name had slipped out of his lips, Trixie's expression turned sour. "Uh...sorry, Trixie. I..." Trixie offered him a smile, but it wasn't geniune. Ziggy sighed as he returned to the coco, and poured two coffee cups of it for them. Trixie taking a place at his table without a word in reply. The asian sitting with her hand pressed to her cheek when he set the cup infront of her.

He sat down infront of her, and tried not to stare at her too much. "So," She broke the silence. "What have you been up to? You still play soccer?"

Ziggy looked slightly relieved. "Not so much lately."

"Maybe we could play soccer together some time." Trixie smiled. "I'd bet that I would whip your ass."

"Ha, ha! I'm the captain of the varsity team. You can't intiminate me." Ziggy said with his best boastful voice, and Trixie chuckled as she sipped from her cup. Ziggy looked down at the steam billowing upwards, and released a sigh. It was impossible to keep up the act of happiness, and small talk wasn't _'his thing'_. So, he decided to speak from the heart. He was too tired to bother with half-hearted false pretenses. "I really miss him on days like this. Winter seems so empty without everyone together as friends. I know he wouldn't have wanted it this way."

Trixie pouted a bit. "Yeah, I know what you mean... but... I have a feeling that he'll return some day." She smiled. "I think you'd make Sportacus really proud, Z."


	4. Hero

It took a little while before Trixie and Ziggy truly felt comfortable infront of one another. But before long, they were laughing, cracking jokes, playfully teasing, and watching movies together. Well, they were chatting through the movie more than they were watching it. They talked about anything and close to everything. But they still maintained their secrets. Both of them knew that the other had an overhanging shadow, and it fascinated them. They tasted the darkness in eachother, and craved the answers to the questions they had.

"What time is it?" Trixie finally asked after the movie credits started to roll. She released a yawn that she'd been holding, and fell over against the arm of the couch. It had been so nice being with Ziggy. It felt like everything in the world had just stopped. There was no pain - there was no sadness. There was just the two of them, and the world was a perfect place once again.

But it wasn't so. "Four thirty in the morning." A successfully cheered-up Ziggy responded. He blinked when Trixie jolted up with renewed energy. She scrambled over to her boots, hopping slightly as she tried to jerk them on. "What is the matter?"

"Shit, Shit." Was all she chanted in reply as she rushed towards the door. Ziggy ran over to her.

"Everything ok?" He asked, now a bit paranoid himself. There was something so wierd about her. She seemed almost afraid - as if something held her back from releasing all of herself. It was odd, but he wanted her to spill everything to him. Ziggy wanted to know all of her secrets and her fears. He wanted to be her Sportacus. Her hero. "Trixie?"

She turned to face him. Her expression of deep, burning fear disappearing into appreciation as she met his eyes. "Thanks for tonight, Z." He slipped a restrained smile on his cheeks as she took his hand briefly. It was a short moment frozen in time, and before he knew what was going on the girl was sprinting from his doorstep.

Trixie panted as she ran across the grass towards Stingy's mansion. She wasn't religious, but she prayed with all her heart that God wouldn't punish her by making her too late. She prayed in every gasp for air that she took to satisfy her needy lungs.

Her boots sounded off against the ground like her heart in her ears. Trixie's chest was hot. Her bones were weary from lack of sleep. She slipped past the gold gate, and slid into the window that she'd left open. Trixie closed it shut quickly, and spun around only to release a scream as she came face-to-face with Stingy.

"H-hi, Sting-" She couldn't finish her sentence. The scarf that had kept her warm - the gift graciously given from Ziggy - became the object of her pain. Stingy grabbed it, tugging it so that she couldn't breathe. Trixie wrapped her arms around his wrists to try to get him to let go, but only fueled his fire. He pulled the scarf tighter around her neck.

"Where were you, baby? I don't like my pets running loose all on their own." Tears slipped down her cheeks as she collapsed onto her knees on the kitchen tiles. She struggled to breathe, but oxygen escaped her. Trixie gazing up with wet brown eyes as he stood before her. He wasn't the cute little boy that she use to love anymore. He wasn't adorably greedy, and provocatively possessive. Now, he was the face that she stamped on her worries and fears. Now, he was the man who had no mercy. "This is just a reminder that you're _mine_. Don't forget who gave you everything, Trixie. Don't forget that you're worthless without me."

Stingy pushed her over onto her back, and crawled over her tired body. He released the pressure when he had her how he wanted her. There was no need to have her black out _this time_. He smirked. There was something so powerful about having her so close to death. There was something so sexy about it.

Trixie breathed hungrily as she stared up blurry-eyed at the ceiling. He had her arms pinned behind her back pressing hard into the tiles. Stingy quickly unzipped her jacket and discarded the scarf to the side to observe her battered, scarred, and bruised neck. There were so many memories to choose from, all criss-crossing paths on that delicate neck of hers. to breathe, but oxygen escaped her. Trixie gazing up with wet brown eyes as he stood before her.

He slid his tounge across a recent scar, a beautiful symbol of his previous abuse. He tasted her salty tears. There was something so delicious about her submission... her sadness... her hopelessness. It made him feel like he was on the top of the world when he took her with force... again... and again... and again...

It made him feel like the god that he believed that he was.

She didn't bother to resist. There was no point in it. Instead, she let herself fatasize that any moment now Sportacus would be here to save her. That a hero would come.

_But there weren't any heroes anymore._


	5. Bad News

Stephanie smiled as she stood infront of the mirror. She straightened out the wrinkles in her white dress which was decorated with lace that looked like pink flowers. She observed her every feature to make sure that everything looked great. Her pink, poofy hair was still cut short like in her youth and parted with a white headband. "You look good, Steph." She told herself as she slipped on her pink converse sneakers over her delicate, small feet.

Stephanie slid on her pink, knee-length coat and buttoned it up quickly. "Uncle Milford!" She called, grabbing her white purse and tossing it over her shoulder. It danced against her hip as she ran out of her room. "Uncle Milford, I'm heading out now!" Stephanie sighed when she didn't hear a response, and figured that her jolly old uncle was in the kitchen. She pushed open the door, and surely enough saw his backside sticking out from the refrigerator door. "Uncle?" He peeked out of the fridge with his hand holding an incriminating spoon holding a mouthful icecream. Stephanie giggled into the palm of her hand. "I'm going out now, Uncle."

"Okay, dear. Miss Busybody is coming over later, but if you need me don't hesitate to call." Steph smiled at that. Things had changed in Lazy Town, but some things never do. She predicted that her Uncle would chase after Bessie's love until they day he died. It was refreshing to see love as pure as his... or maybe it was perversion. It was true that her Uncle Milford was capable of some pretty naughty things, but she wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. She remembered walking into his office at Town Hall and witnessing Miss Busybody bent over with her tight-dressed butt directly in his line of view. Her face was covered in white icing, too! It gave her a giggle, anyhow. The most innocent people always seemed to have their secret dark desires.

Steph waved goodbye, chirping a "Have Fun!" before closing the front door behind her. She took in the smell of the winter air - crisp and refreshing. The girl closing her eyes as she thought about her hero... Sadness loomed over her usually happy expression, and Stephanie released a sigh. "Sorry, Sportacus." She whispered under her breath as she started to walk. It was stupid to talk to the air, but sometimes it made her feel better. "I couldn't take care of everyone. I'm not a superhero."

She looked up at the blue sky which was starting to get dark. There were a thousand thoughts running through her head, but they were all farmiliar. It was true that Sportacus had been her childhood love. He was a man who she could compare to no other person. Sportacus was her paragon ... utter perfection. Stephanie still fantasized about him as such a person. She still imagined what it would have been like to have gone with him. What if Sportacus had been her true love, and she had given up her only chance to be with him?

Steph shook the thought away, and hurried off quicker towards the school. She didn't want to be late.

* * *

Bessie knocked on the door, and Milford opened it with a broad smile. "Bessie!" He exclaimed, only for his smile to fade when he noticed her expression. "News?" His tone immediately sounded serious as worry consumed his face.

"They said that they're ready to test the program." She replied with a formal tone that lacked the playfulness that usually accompanied her presence. Her eyes not meeting his, but rather her hands which were folded infront of her. "They told me on my way over for our date."

"T-Tonight?" He said, his voice wavering as he tried to contain his tears. This was absolutely horrible news. There was nothing else to say about it. This was his worse nightmare... that he always knew was coming. "What if they..."

"You've gotten attatched to her, haven't you?" Bessie said with a slight wimper in her tone. "I have too... They were such great kids... **_but_**-" She straightened, trying to forget her personal feelings. "This is our job. We need to take it seriously." Bessie extended a hand to his shoulder. "They're vital. Atleast they will be happy when they see Sportacus again, right?" Her smile was a bit unstable.

"Yes," Milford whispered, embracing his girlfriend. "If they make it that far." He closed his eyes, tears slipping down his cheeks. It was unknown what the potential outcome would be, but the stakes were high... so, so high.


	6. Human Hearts

Author's Notes: Crystine & Chase Infinity were created by **Jao**.

Sportacus sighed. It had been four years since he had been to Lazy Town, and he was stuck in his mother's laboratory located at the outskirts of town. He tilted his head back, and closed his eyes. "What are we waiting for, Mother?" He asked the woman who was working on a computer system in the corner of the vast, white tiled room.

She looked fairly young with long, flowing blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail only to keep it from touching the floor. It was hard to believe that she could possibly be Sportacus' mother. She looked no older than twenty-five... twenty-six at oldest.

Her name was Crystine Infinity - a woman who had much to do with Lazy Town and the children in it. Infact, you could say that Crystine _was_ Lazy Town. There was nothing that was invisible to her all seeing eye.

"Chase, can you please interact with your brother." Crystine sighed, looking over towards the red haired man who stood beside her in green. His outfit was a lot like Sportacus', save for the fact that his vest was long and unbuttoned in the front with the number being 13 instead of 10.

"But Mother, we're in such a crucial-" He looked at her with an expression of frustration on his handsome face.

"_**Now**_." She said, cutting him off and breaking off eye contact with him as well. She didn't have to yell. Her voice was demanding, strong and powerful. There was no way that he would be able to refuse her. Crystine had a very regal air to her that let you know just by looking that she was in charge. Chin out, shoulders back, back straight, all her movements flowing.

So, instead of arguing, he just fumed and stormed off out the doorway into the hall. Chase loved his brother dearly, but also found much of his anger to be focused on Sportacus, too. "Chase," His brother called from behind. "I'm sorry."

Chase sighed, his shoulders dropping. He turned. "It is okay." He offered a smile. Sportacus really was just a geniunely nice, somewhat naive, but always helpful guy. It was hard to stay mad at him. "The next few days will be difficult." Chase dug into his pocket, and pulled out something that made Sportacus grin. His crystal. "Teach them well, brother. _Anything_ can happen with their human hearts."

Sportacus nodded. He knew this much was true, but he didn't know the reality of it yet. Crystine and Chase had kept their plans away from him. Even Chase didn't know all that was to come in the next week.

What he did know was this: Lazy Town was an isolated area created as a training facility for Crystine's experiments. These experiments were humanoid, breathing, living creatures that were specially designed for her purpose. The very first _successful_ creation was 10, Sportacus... A hero, designed and made.

The second successful experiment was his brother, Chase. The thirteenth creation who was made to be a heir to Crystine's complex. Someone who would continue the project long after she died.

And now, together, they worked on a whole new line of _superbeings_. A group of people that Crystine believed would surpass any that she had ever made before. After all, they weren't entirely her own. They were children who were forsaken by their parents in orphanages at young ages, and then transformed into something ... _better_ than just human.

These children populated Lazy Town in a controlled enviroment filled with Infinity Staff. All of them were harmless characters who would report the day's events to Crystine... Miss Busybody, Mayor Meanswell, Robbie Rotten - Teachers, Librarians, Whatever. Even Sportacus.

However, Crystine didn't only want positive examples.  
She wanted to test the children... to see what they chose for themselves.

But now they would have to **_fight_** for their choice.


	7. Mutation

Crystine stood infront of her monitors next to Chase. She smiled as she watched the twenty experiments who populated Lazy Town sleep. They seemed so innocent when they were lost in their dreams. Crystine knew better. Her hand hovered over the red activation button that would jumpstart their special abilities. With a deep breath, she pushed it. Every screen lighting up with glowing white eyes.

Trixie immediately clamped her eyes shut a moment later as she writhed against the kitchen tiles where Stingy had left her. She suddenly felt incredibly overheated with her body getting hotter every passing moment. Her blood felt as though it were literally boiling, and her veins paid the price with exceptional pain. Trixie waving in and out of conciousness as she sweated - unable to move or do much of anything at this rate. Her temperature was 110. A death rate.

Trixie thought that she was dying in flames. Her temperature spiked to 125. Her veins bright blue and visible underneath her skin which felt as though any moment it might melt off. Trixie's eyes opening to glow like a bright red blinding beakon on Crystine's monitor. She was one of the first to show such a sign of mutation... and success. Many of the other children had already died, having not even reached this point in their transformation. It made her smile. "Her heart must be strong."

Ziggy was having a reverse effect. He was freezing cold as he laid on his bed. He tried to scream out, but his throat was closed over with ice. Ziggy was unable to do much of anything but lay there plastered with ice and snow. When his eyes finally altered into a beaming ocean blue, he imagined that he was deep beneath the water. Ziggy struggled at first to swim upwards and find the light of the surface. But he didn't make it in time. Gasping, he inhaled a massive amount of water, and thought that surely he would soon drown to death soon. He became limp, and closed his eyes to accept the darkness under his eyelids.

* * *

His monitor in Crystine's lab began to beep to signify that Ziggy was beginning to flat line. She made a sour expression. "Not another one! There is only four kids left." She sighed, and went to put her hand to the screen to shut it off.

* * *

"Don't give up yet, Z!" Trixie's voice cried out in his head, and he opened his eyes again to find himself in pitch blackness.

Ziggy couldn't move or reply to her. He was enclosed in a block of ice that he couldn't free himself of. But suddenly he felt the ice melt off of him, and when he opened his eyes Trixie stood infront of him. Her hair was on fire, and her eyes were a glowing red. She extended her hand to him with a compassionate smile, and when he took it he felt his body regulate. He was neither hot nor cold. He was free of his painful burden, and his heart started to beat again. "Friends forever." She said to him, as the flames died all except in her brown eyes. Ziggy smiled, and embraced her in a hug as the world reconstructed itself around them. They were back in his room glowing magnificent colors of contrast - red and blue in perfect harmony.

However, soon enough the light faded from his arms and Trixie was gone. He was alone in his dark bedroom... once again feeling a faint chill that craweled across his skin but did not posess him.

* * *

Crystine pulled her hand back with a bit of confusion when she realized that the boy had come back to life. "This is a remarkable occurance!" She looked over at the other children who still lived. There was Stingy and Pixel. Stingy was sleeping peacefully as if he had experienced no alteration or mutation. Crystine sighed at his progress, and looked over to another creation with expectation.

Pixel - who hadn't left his house in four years - was sitting wide-eyed at his computer screen. His eyes glowing a bright white as if it mocked the computer which had become his life. The cords of the computer suddenly unplugged themselves from the sockets and wrapped themselves around him as if they were choking him. The electricity serged through his body like a free-flowing current, and left him in a state of paralyzed shock. The many computer screens which cluttered his room were still active without being plugged in. When his eyes opened again, they were a bright glowing yellow. The cords spilling away from his body and the computer screens turning dark as he collapsed on the ground.

Stephanie, however, was having an active dream of which she was flying through the air. She turned invisible in this dreamscape, and serged through the crowds as if she were a gentle breeze. She found Sportacus in the crowd, and appeared behind him. Stephanie dropped to her feet, and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around with a smiling face, and Stephanie phased her arm into his chest...

ripping out his heart.

She jolted up in bed, panting hard. Her eyes never changing color at all. They stayed that piercing, ghostlike white until she closed them. Tears spilling down her cheeks as she fell back against the bed again. She didn't even notice that she was hovering in the air over of it instead.


End file.
